UNITY DEVOTIONAL

Here is how Wilbur Rees describes a person’s half-hearted curiosity about God. I have modified it slightly.

‘$3 worth of God’ by Wilbur Rees

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to rattle my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of hot tea or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of God to make me love my enemy or serve the poor. I want safety, not radical transformation. I want the security of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.

Here is a person who only wants to make a $3 commitment to God so long as it does not require any uncomfortable changes to his life. Contrast this with the words of Jesus who said, ‘Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples’ (Luke 14:33). Jesus requires total surrender from any who would follow him.

Our theme at AGIF of late has been ‘Unity’ and right now I am thinking about the way God becomes the central reality for a Christian’s existence so that all dimensions of his life are united around Him.

Living a life that is united around God means there is no distinction between what is sacred and secular, between what is religious and worldly. All of life is consecrated to God and thus is holy. Instead of compartmentalizing our lives into religious exercises on Sundays and real life worldly endeavors the rest of the week, we arrange all that we do under God. We seek to worship and serve God every day of the week, not just Sundays. Everything we do at home, at work, at church, at play, at all times is dedicated to God. In this way our lives are united instead of divided. Instead of serving different gods at different times depending on who we are with and what we are doing, the totality of our existence is devoted to God.

Jesus said that these are the terms of our relationship with him; it is all or nothing. To be his disciple means giving up everything to Him or the deal is off. You can’t buy $3 worth of God; you must ‘sell’ everything you have to get Him. Oh, but when you get God, you get everything of worth!